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Wednesday, August 1, 2012

My Muse: Penny the Dachshund

Three summers ago, we rescued a 7 year old dachshund named Penny. Though I have grown up with dachshunds, as an adult I've always had cats - and love cats.

When Penny came into our lives, everything changed. We bonded immediately. She has us wrapped around her powerful little paws. Now she is our spoiled and indulged little friend, who charms everyone in her wake.

Being a hilarious little dog, she has inspired a new book project, starring herself!

Here, she is doing what she does best - going to bed after a long day of playing, sleeping, walking, romping, eating, sleeping more and getting petted. This might be the dust cover jacket.

Originally, her co-star was going to be another dachshund - a puppy, but that has since changed.

Here are some sketches of Penny, the main character for the book project:

I'm working on capturing Penny from different views. She just turned 11 and moves a little slower now, so she keeps a pose long enough to draw her from life.

The paintings are drawn traditionally with graphite. I like the energy of the original drawn line to show up under transparent washes of paint. Over the next year, I hope to complete sketches (called a "dummy") for a 32 page picture book that features Penny as its star character.

About Me

I am an illustrator, designer and photographer based in southern California. I love to draw and make pictures that add humor, delight & whimsy to life. I’m published in the children’s literature market and in the world of editorial publications and advertising. When I’m not in the studio, I’m teaching photography and design at Saddleback Valley USD Adult Education and 2D Design at CSUF. I’m working on my MFA in art at CSUF, graduating in 2014.